Atlas
by IKomma
Summary: After a battle, Aang is injured with no way to be saved. The only person there with him is the woman he loves, the one he got hurt protecting and is about to die for. Kataang Oneshot. WARNING: Character Death.


**Atlas**

 _"I think for you I would be Atlas._

 _I would carry the weight of_

 _the world on my shoulder._

 _And if I fell,_

 _I would be just fine_

 _knowing I had died for you."_

 _\- Writing Snippet 4_ (via vampiretuesday on Tumblr)

* * *

As the rain fell over their bleeding forms, all that could be heard, over the sound of raindrops touching the ground with incredible force, was the pleading sound of her voice.

"Aang..."

She kept repeating his name, hoping that this alone would be enough to keep him from forever closing his eyes. The damage that had been done to him... Not even her superb healing powers could heal the wound right in the middle of his chest.

All that came out of his mouth as a response to her calling him was a soft sigh that was intended to sound more like her name. Immediately, he felt a great flash of pain spread through his body, so great that even the numbness that the bleeding had caused him was not enough to block it out. He didn't regret it though. Instead, he tried a second time, putting even more effort in doing so from fear that his time was running out.

"Ka-a"

She shushed him, taking one hand from the cloth she used to try and control the bleeding and gently placing it on his cheek, stroking it lightly and hoping that her touch would somehow breath some of her life in him.

Katara was crying without a sound, but Aang could clearly make out the tears that bled out of her eyes, more thick and heavy than any raindrop landing on her face. In his blurry mind, all he could think of was how sorry he felt for letting her down. Such a beautiful, intelligent, loving woman. It was not right to have to go through her life like this. Without the man she loved. Katara grieving for him was the thought that terrified him to the point he started believing it would manage to keep him from dying. He knew his wound was far too deep, there was no denying it. But in this haze his mind was sucked in, reality was a slowly fleeting cloud of smoke. For her sake, he wanted to hold on, tried to grasp it with everything he had. But it was all fleeting, far from his reach. The only thing that was unmistakably true was that the woman holding him, with blood on her body, both his and hers, watching silently with a deep frown on her face and eyes full of sorrow, that woman was the love of his life.

He coughed and she knew he wanted to talk to her, but couldn't. He coughed again, this time also spitting some blood over his lips and on her hand, still on his face. Her heart sank. His blood on her skin felt so unfamiliar... So wrong. She hated that, because of her, the colour was now draining out of her husdand's face. Life was leaving his broken body. He was about... He would die, because of her. Protecting her.

He was more successful the third time he attempted to talk to her.

"Ka-ara."

She tried to silence him again, not wanting him to waste his energy by trying to reassure her. She knew there was nothing that could be done, no one there to help him. Yet, she could not give up on him. She had never done so in the past and was not about to do so now. As a new wave of tears surfaced on her eyes, she turned her face away.

Aang managed to lift his trembling hand and use it to cover hers, lying just above his slowly beating heart. She held her breath, feeling more weak and useless at his touch. She wanted to look in his eyes, but was afraid of not seeing a spark there, she didn't want to know he had already given up hope. Instead, she tried her hardest to concentrate on feeling his heartbeat, which was already hard to do.

"Are you hurt?" he asked in a shaking voice. Katara shook her head "no" and he patted her hand once. "I'm alright, Aang" she let him know. "Don't worry about me, sweety".

A shadow of a smile crossed his face. He knew he wasn't getting any better, but that alone, Katara being safe, was enough to fill him with newfound strength, one that kept him talking, if only in almost breathless whispers.

"Look at me."

She tried to ignore his request, but there was no time to waste. She swallowed down to drown the lump that had formed in her throat from her crying and took her eyes from the tattoo on his hand over hers, slowly turning her head to meet his eyes.

Aang was weak and in pain. But he still pushed through the suffering. She could tell by the fire still burning in his grey eyes. She couln't help but smile sadly, letting out a sob she was not able to suppress. She internally cursed herself for being so weak at such a crucial time, but he hardly noticed it. Through the rain and his own, unknowingly shed tears, he took in the sight of her, then took a shallow breath and let it out with a soft hissing sound. Then he kept going.

"It is my hono- to die... knowing... I... saved you."

Katara's eyes widened in shock. For a moment she could not speak, then composed herself and told him "You are not dying, Aang! You hear me? You can get past this!" She kept going and spoke the words she did not believe were true, in a poor attempt to make things better for him, even for a little while. He stopped her suddenly, slightly moving his head from left to right.

"Don't ever lose hope."

"Aang, don't-"

"Promise me, sweety."

This was too much for her. She wished she were anywhere but there, feeling sad and cold and alone.

His eyes began closing. She could see he was not strong enough to open them again. She knew he was fighting with himself to try and keep them open just a moment longer. She could hardly feel his heartbeat. She knew this was goodbye.

"I promise"

All she could think of was how useless it was of him to save her if he couldn't be with her anymore.

 _ **The End.**_


End file.
